Michael Clarke batted himself into the history books with an unbeaten triple century and helped Australia move within eight wickets of a devastating victory over India at the SCG.

The tourists ended the day at 2 for 114, still 354 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat and a 2-0 series deficit, with opener Gautam Gambhir (66 not out) and Sachin Tendulkar (8 not out) clawing their way to stumps.

India's task for the next two days seems insurmountable, despite batsmen-friendly conditions, and it could have been much worse had Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin not dropped a sitter from a Gambhir edge in the second last over of play.

That was the only low point in a day of tumbling records at the SCG, as Clarke (329 not out) and Michael Hussey (150 not out) shared in a record partnership that extended Australia's lead to 468 runs.

More drama. Brad Haddin has dropped Gambhir on 66. All the 'keeper had to do was move slightly to his left but he makes a meal of it and hardly gets a glove on the ball. The slips cordon is simply stunned and the bowler, James Pattinson, cannot hide his frustration. All that pressure for the past 10-15 overs has gone down the drain for the Aussies. One over left.

5.26pm: Siddle has been replaced by Pattinson. His first ball is a no-ball and that is the first run for 52 deliveries! Three overs left.

5.20pm: In the shadows stumps there is an intriguing little battle going on between Tendulkar and Siddle, who has had The Little Master's measure of late. The Victorian has sent down four straight maidens with a tenacious Sachin, not touching anything outside off, determined to be there tomorrow morning.

Just as we were lamenting the state of the pitch, Dravid is knocked over by Ben Hilfenhaus. What is going on with The Wall? He has been bowled six out of his last eight innings. Seven if you include the Siddle no-ball at the MCG. Gap between bat and pad big enough for any Kookaburra to fly through. And if you thought we were done with standing ovations, here comes Sachin...

The Australian bowlers have hardly produced a chance in that hour after tea. James Pattison had a big appeal for lbw on Gambhir but the Indian batsman smashed it into his pad and umpire Marais Erasmus made the correct decision. Rahul Dravid almost played on in the moments before drinks. Clarke being forced to be creative with his field placements and bowling combinations.

4.15pm: Rahul Dravid has joined in the fun, perhaps spurred into action by Ricky Ponting's 134 and Jacques Kallis's career-best 224 overnight. The 39-year-old Indian is on 24, with 20 of them coming in fours.

A good knock from the opener and as easy as you like in 83 balls with seven boundaries. This pitch is a road and there is runs in it for any batsman.

3.30pm: The players are back after tea and these two Indian batsman will be determined to make it to tea. But there is a chance we could see Tendulkar before the day is out as he continues the journey towards 100 internationals tons.

India's batsmen began the unenviable task of trying to save the second Test after Michael Clarke's unbeaten triple-century gave Australia a 468-run buffer at the SCG.

The tourists went to tea on 53 with the loss of just Virender Sehwag (4), still 415 runs in arrears after Australia declared at 4 for 659 with Clarke on 329 not out and Michael Hussey alongside him on 150.

Sehwag offered little resistance, caught at point off Ben Hilfenhaus, but fellow Indian opener Gautam Gambhir looked to find some form after enduring a horror start to his first Australian Test tour.

Clarke's sudden declaration ended a string of broken records on the third day, but not before the captain became Australia's sixth player to pass 300 and fourth on the country's highest Test innings list behind only Matthew Hayden (380), Mark Taylor (334*) and Don Bradman (334).

He also notched the highest score at the SCG, the highest score in an Australia-India Test and the highest score by a number five batsman in Test history.

Clarke's partnership with Hussey was worth 334 runs and it was the first time three or more Australian batsmen have scored a century in the one innings since the first Ashes Test in 2009, following Ricky Ponting's 134 on day two.

3.00pm: India's deficit of 468 is their third highest when batting first. The top three: 486 (Birmingham), 484 (Centurion) and 468 (Sydney) have all come in the last 13 months and all overseas. Thanks to Cricinfo's @rajeshstats for that one.

2.50pm: Sehwag is on his way but Gambhir and Dravid have other plans. Gautam takes Siddle for two boundaries in the one over. The Indian opener is in search of some much-needed form.

Believe it or not, you can get out on this pitch. Sehwag can't help himself and flays the bat at a wide delivery. David Warner takes a ripper at point, moving quickly to his left to pluck the ball out of the air.

2.22pm: The Indian batsman are out in the middle. They have been waiting a while for this. Can they show some ticker and stick around for a few days? It's a massive ask but the pitch is as about lifeless as they were in the field. Pattinson and Hilfenhaus share the new ball.

Well that came out of nowhere. Clarke and Hussey looked like they were running for a drink, but they were actually sprinting towards the pavilion. The Australian captain says 329 is enough and ends his innings fourth on the Australian Test innings list and equal 12th with Inzamam-ul-Haq in the all-time Test records. His unbeaten partnership with Hussey was worth 334 runs, how is that for a special number? Clarke's average increases to 45.82 to 48.65 and he now has 5,643 runs in 78 Tests. He almost scored as many runs in that innings than he did in the 12 months before becoming captain (367).

2.00pm: Clarke is chasing Mark Taylor's 334 for the highest score by a Test captain. He has just passed Virender Sehwag's 319 in Chennai on the all-time list. I recommend following our own @RicFinlay on Twitter for a stream of more stats. He is so beside himself he has "forgotten to walk the cat", says Kerry.

1.43pm: The 300 partnership is up - Clarke (163) and Hussey (130). The first time in Test history an innings has featured two 250+ partnerships. Clarke and Ponting's was 288. The historians are running out of liquid paper!

1.33pm: Want more? Sure. The Aussie captain is also the seventh skipper to pass the 300 mark with Lara, Jayawardene, Taylor, Gooch, Younis Khan and Simpson.

1.30pm: The records continue to tumble. Clarke now has the highest score for a number five, usurping Bradman's 304. He is also now fourth on Australia's all-time Test innings list behind Hayden, Taylor and Bradman.

Clarke on 299 blasts another boundary. A masterful display by the Australian skipper. He becomes the sixth Australian batsman to make 300 runs. When you consider he came to the crease with the score at 3 for 37, this has been nothing short of a brilliant knock. Kerry said he has never seen a crowd so expectant with the exception of Steve Waugh's hundred on the last ball of the day at the same ground. They rise at the SCG for what seems to be the umpteenth time in this match. Clarke loses the helmet, punches the air ferociously and plants his customary kiss on the Australian coat of arms. His 300 comes off 423 balls (strike rate of 69.4) with 37 fours and one six.

Michael Clarke cracks his 34th four and now has the highest score at the SCG. Tip Foster, who captained England in football and cricket, held the record with his 287 on debut in 1903. Clarke also leaves the likes of Lara, Hammond, Walters and Tendulkar in his wake. Not bad from a Liverpool lad. Next stop, triple century.

12.18pm: Michael Clarke passes the highest score in an Australia-India Test. That was 281 by Laxman in Kolkata in 2001. We all remember that knock. Just like we will this one. VVS will need a similar effort in the coming days to dig India out of this massive hole.

As easy as you like. First Ponting and now Hussey comes out of the doldrums to crack three figures. He is saluted by an ocean of pink at the SCG after the third umpire shows he is clearly home after a quick single (much less dicey than Punter's). It is his 16th Test ton and it came off 188 balls with 11 fours, one six and a great deal of ease from a man supposedly under pressure to retain his spot. The Western Australian now has scores of 142, 118, 93, 89 and 100* in his last 13 knocks.

12.02pm: We have another milestone race. Hussey is lining up Test century number 16 as Clarke has his eyes set on the highest score at the SCG held by Tip Foster.

11.43am: Yadav into the attack and Hussey thrashes him for four with a brilliant cut past backward point. That brings up the 200 partnership between these two - Clarke (112), Hussey (84).

Highest scores at SCG:

R.E. Tip Foster (287 v Australia, 1903)

Brian Lara (277 v Australia, 1993)

Wally Hammond (251 v Australia, 1928)

Doug Walters (242 v West Indies, 1969)

Sachin Tendulkar (241* v Australia, 2008)

DRINKS - Australia 4-519 (M Clarke 264*, M Hussey 77*)

11.20am: Back to the cricket, vote in our new poll. Who will end up with the most Test runs: Dravid, Ponting, Kallis, Jayawardene or Sangakkara?Vote here.

11.15am: Harsha and Kerry are up to their old tricks in the commentary box. The Indian is trying to get his sidekick to eat a Naga chilli - the hottest in the world! Skull isn't having a bar of it despite a slow-hand clap from the SCG crowd trying to spur him on. More pics on Facebook.

11.10pm: Plenty of talk about the captaincy of MS Dhoni yesterday. He employed some "modest" strategies as described by Kerry. There is no doubting his record, taking India to the top Test side in the world as well as a World Cup final win in India. He has been described by the likes of Tendulkar and former coach Gary Kirsten as the best Indian captain ever. He definitely needs to work on his captaincy abroad, but he has received little support from the likes of his top order as well as his bowlers.

11.07am: Michael Clarke moves to 258 and now holds the highest score by an Australian against India, passing Ricky Ponting's 257 at the MCG in 2003.

11.00am: News just in that India's Virat Kohli has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for flipping the bird to the supporters at the SCG yesterday. Clearly he wasn't copping the banter as well as Ashwin. Australia brings up 500. Hussey is on song again.

10.42am: Ishant Sharma lasts all of two overs opening the bowling and is replaced by off spinner Ravi Ashwin, who had a tough day yesterday (0-103). Curiously, he took some delight in being cheered by the parochial home crowd when he brought up his "century", describing it as a different experience:

10.38am: The crowd continues to roll in at the SCG for the McGrath Foundation's annual "pink day". You can make a donation here. Australian opening batsman Ed Cowan shared a chat with Shannon Byrne this morning talking about the special occasion and watching his skipper and Ricky Ponting making heaps of runs on day two:

10.30am: Zaheer Khan to open the bowling. Much better bowling conditions today for the left-arm swinger.

Pre-match:

10.15am: Resuming on 251, Clarke has the ninth highest Test innings score by an Australian.

10.10am: Welcome back for the third day's action from the SCG. Plenty of records tumbled yesterday and if Australian skipper Michael Clarke continues to batter the Indian attack, there could be a lot more. First up, Clarke will be aiming to notch the highest score by an Australian batsman against India - Ricky Ponting's 257 at the MCG in 2003.

For those who want a recap of all yesterday's action, look no further than below: